Queensland University of Technology View Institution's Website 13 articles published in JoVE Engineering Imaging of the Microstructural Failure Mechanism in the Human Hip Saulo Martelli1,2, Egon Perilli2 1School of Mechanical, Medical and Process Engineering, Queensland University of Technology, 2Medical Device Research Institute, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University The protocol enables the measurement of the deformation of the bone microstructure in the entire proximal human femur and its toughness by combining large-volume micro-CT scanning, a custom-made compressive stage, and advanced image processing tools. Cancer Research Rapid Optical Clearing for Semi-High-Throughput Analysis of Tumor Spheroids Gency Gunasingh1, Alexander P. Browning2, Nikolas K. Haass1 1The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, The University of Queensland, 2School of Mathematical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology Tumor spheroids are becoming increasingly utilized to assess tumor cell-microenvironment interactions and therapy response. The present protocol describes a robust but simple method for semi-high-throughput imaging of 3D tumor spheroids using rapid optical clearing. Bioengineering An Open Source Technology Platform to Manufacture Hydrogel-Based 3D Culture Models in an Automated and Standardized Fashion Sebastian Eggert1,2, Melanie Kahl1,3, Ross Kent1, Lukas Gaats1, Nathalie Bock1,3,4,5, Christoph Meinert1,2, Dietmar W. Hutmacher1,2,3,4,6 1Centre in Regenerative Medicine, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, 2School of Mechanical, Medical and Process Engineering, Science and Engineering Faculty, Queensland University of Technology, 3School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, 4Australian Prostate Cancer Research Centre, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, 5Translational Research Institute, Queensland University of Technology, 6ARC ITTC in Additive Biomanufacturing, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology This protocol serves as a comprehensive tutorial for standardized and reproducible mixing of viscous materials with a novel open source automation technology. Detailed instructions are provided on the operation of a newly developed open source workstation, the usage of an open source protocol designer, and the validation and verification to identify reproducible mixtures. Bioengineering Design of an Open-Source, Low-Cost Bioink and Food Melt Extrusion 3D Printer Matthew Lanaro*1, Jacob Skewes*1, Logan Spiers1, Prasad K. Yarlagadda1, Maria A. Woodruff1 1Science and Engineering Faculty, Queensland University of Technology (QUT) The aim of this work is to design and construct a reservoir-based melt extrusion three-dimensional printer made from open-source and low-cost components for applications in the biomedical and food printing industries. Bioengineering Growth of Human and Sheep Corneal Endothelial Cell Layers on Biomaterial Membranes Jennifer Walshe1, Najla Al Khaled Abdulsalam2, Shuko Suzuki1, Traian V. Chirila1,3,4,5,6,7,8, Damien G. Harkin1,3,4 1Queensland Eye Institute, 2King Faisal University, 3School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, 4Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, 5Science and Engineering Faculty, Queensland University of Technology, 6Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, 7Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, University of Queensland, 8Faculty of Science, University of Western Australia This protocol describes the critical steps required to establish and grow corneal endothelial cell cultures from explants of human or sheep tissue. A method for subculturing corneal endothelial cells on membranous biomaterials is also presented. Medicine Absorbent Microbiopsy Sampling and RNA Extraction for Minimally Invasive, Simultaneous Blood and Skin Analysis Benson U.W. Lei1,2, Miko Yamada1, Van L.T. Hoang3, Paul J. Belt4, Mark H. Moore5, Lynlee L. Lin2, Ross Flewell-Smith1, Nhung Dang1,2, Shoko Tomihara2, Tarl W. Prow1,2 1Future Industries Institute, University of South Australia, 2Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, 3Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, 4Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Princess Alexandra Hospital, 5Australian Craniofacial Unit, Women's and Children's Hospital In this article, we demonstrate how the absorbent microbiopsy technique is performed and how the sample can be used for RNA extraction for simple and simultaneous sampling of skin and blood in a minimally invasive manner. Engineering Optimization, Test and Diagnostics of Miniaturized Hall Thrusters Jian W. M. Lim1, Igor Levchenko1,2, Muhammad W. A. B. Rohaizat1, Shiyong Huang1, Luxiang Xu1, Yu Fei Sun1, George C. Potrivitu1, Jen S. Yee1, Roysmond Z. W. Sim1, Youmei Wang3, Svitlana Levchenko1, Kateryna Bazaka2,1, Shuyan Xu1 1Plasma Sources and Applications Centre, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, 2School of Chemistry, Physics, Mechanical Engineering, Queensland University of Technology, 3Department of Physics, School of Science, Hangzhou Dianzi University Here, we present a protocol to test and optimize space propulsion systems based on miniaturized Hall-type thrusters. Bioengineering Melt Electrospinning Writing of Three-dimensional Poly(ε-caprolactone) Scaffolds with Controllable Morphologies for Tissue Engineering Applications Felix M. Wunner1, Onur Bas1, Navid T. Saidy1, Paul D. Dalton2, Elena M. De-Juan Pardo1, Dietmar W. Hutmacher1,3,4 1ARC ITTC in Additive Biomanufacturing, Institute for Health and Biomedical Innovation (IHBI), Queensland University of Technology (QUT), 2Department for Functional Materials in Medicine and Dentistry and Bavarian Polymer Institute, University of Würzburg, 3Institute for Advanced Study, Technical University of Munich (TUM), 4George W Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology This protocol serves as a comprehensive guideline to fabricate scaffolds via electrospinning with polymer melts in a direct writing mode. We systematically outline the process and define the appropriate parameter settings for achieving targeted scaffold architectures. Chemistry Measurements of Long-range Electronic Correlations During Femtosecond Diffraction Experiments Performed on Nanocrystals of Buckminsterfullerene Rebecca A. Ryan1, Sophie Williams1, Andrew V. Martin1, Ruben A. Dilanian1, Connie Darmanin2, Corey T. Putkunz1, David Wood3, Victor A. Streltsov4, Michael W.M. Jones5, Naylyn Gaffney6, Felix Hofmann7, Garth J. Williams8, Sebastien Boutet9, Marc Messerschmidt10, M. Marvin Seibert11, Evan K. Curwood11, Eugeniu Balaur2, Andrew G. Peele5, Keith A. Nugent2, Harry M. Quiney1, Brian Abbey2 1ARC Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, School of Physics, University of Melbourne, 2Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, Department of Chemistry and Physics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Sciences, La Trobe University, 3Department of Physics, Imperial College London, 4Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, 5Science and Engineering Faculty, Queensland University of Technology, 6Swinburne University of Technology, 7Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, 8Brookhaven National Laboratory, 9Linac Coherent Light Source, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, 10BioXFEL Science and Technology Center, 11Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, 12Australian Synchrotron We describe an experiment designed to probe the electronic damage induced in nanocrystals of Buckminsterfullerene (C60) by intense, femtosecond pulses of X-rays. The experiment found that, surprisingly, rather than being stochastic, the X-ray induced electron dynamics in C60 are highly correlated, extending over hundreds of unit cells within the crystals1. Developmental Biology Isolation and Expansion of Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal Cells Derived from Human Placenta Tissue Rebecca A. Pelekanos1, Varda S. Sardesai1, Kathryn Futrega2, William B. Lott2, Michael Kuhn2, Michael R. Doran2,3 1UQ Centre for Clinical Research, The University of Queensland, 2Translational Research Institute, Queensland University of Technology, 3Translational Research Institute, Mater Medical Research - University of Queensland Herein we describe methods for the dissection of fetal and maternal tissues from human term placenta, followed by isolation and expansion of mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSC) from these tissues. Medicine Adjustable Stiffness, External Fixator for the Rat Femur Osteotomy and Segmental Bone Defect Models Vaida Glatt1, Romano Matthys2 1Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, 2RISystem AG One constraint of preclinical research in the field of bone repair is the lack of experimental control over the local mechanical environment within a healing bone lesion. We report the design and use of an external fixator for bone repair with the ability to change fixator stiffness in vivo. Biology An Analytical Tool that Quantifies Cellular Morphology Changes from Three-dimensional Fluorescence Images Carolina L. Haass-Koffler1,2, Mohammad Naeemuddin1, Selena E. Bartlett1,3 1Medications Development, Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, 2Clinical Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, University of California, San Francisco, 3Translational Research Institute and the Institute for Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia We developed a software platform that utilizes Imaris Neuroscience, ImarisXT and MATLAB to measure the changes in morphology of an undefined shape taken from three-dimensional confocal fluorescence of single cells. This novel approach can be used to quantify changes in cell shape following receptor activation and therefore represents a possible additional tool for drug discovery. Neuroscience Coherence between Brain Cortical Function and Neurocognitive Performance during Changed Gravity Conditions Vera Brümmer1, Stefan Schneider1, Tobias Vogt1, Heiko Strüder1, Heather Carnahan2, Christopher D. Askew3, Roland Csuhaj4 1Institute of Movement and Neurosciences, German Sport University Cologne, 2Deptartment of Surgical Skills, University of Toronto, 3School of Human Movement Studies, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, 4Brain Products GmbH, Scientific Support, Gilching, Germany The effect of weightlessness and hypergravity on both hemodynamic and electrophysiological processes in the brain is going to be followed during parabolic flight by EEG and NIRS techniques. A feasibility study of a more complex experiment, which is planned to carry out during medium- and long-term space flight.